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A polearm or pole weapon is a close combat weapon in which the main fighting part of the weapon is fitted to the end of a long shaft, typically of wood, extending the user's effective range and striking power. Polearms are predominantly melee weapons, with a subclass of spear-like designs fit for thrusting and/or throwing.
George Silver, writing in 1599, stated that the black bill should be 5 or 6 feet (1.5 or 1.8 m) long, while the forest bill should be 8 or 9 feet (2.4 or 2.7 m). [ 2 ] During the early 16th century when most European states were adopting the pike and arquebus , the English preferred to stick with the combination of bill and English longbow .
A javelin is a light spear designed primarily to be thrown, historically as a ranged weapon. Today, the javelin is predominantly used for sporting purposes such as the javelin throw . The javelin is nearly always thrown by hand, unlike the sling , bow , and crossbow , which launch projectiles with the aid of a hand-held mechanism.
A quarterstaff (plural quarterstaffs or quarterstaves), also short staff or simply staff is a traditional European polearm, which was especially prominent in England during the Early Modern period. The term is generally accepted to refer to a shaft of hardwood from 6 to 9 feet (1.8 to 2.7 m) long, sometimes with a metal tip, ferrule , or spike ...
Spear-armed hoplite from Greco-Persian Wars. A spear is a polearm consisting of a shaft, usually of wood, with a pointed head.The head may be simply the sharpened end of the shaft itself, as is the case with fire hardened spears, or it may be made of a more durable material fastened to the shaft, such as bone, flint, obsidian, copper, bronze, iron, or steel.
Formations of uhlans and other types of cavalry used lances between 2 and 3 meters (6.6 and 9.8 ft) in length as their primary weapons. The lance was usually employed in initial charges in close formation, with sabers being used in the melee that followed. The Crimean War saw the use of the lance in the Charge of the Light Brigade.
An assegai or assagai [a] [2] is a polearm used for throwing, usually a light spear or javelin made up of a wooden handle with an iron tip. Area of use [ edit ]
Tsuki nari yari (月形槍, "moon-shaped spear") barely looked like a spear at all. A polearm that had a crescent blade for a spearhead, which could be used for slashing and hooking. Kagi yari (鉤槍, "hook spear") was a key-shaped spear with a long blade with a side hook much like that found on a fauchard. This could be used to catch another ...